


DAY OF THE BARNEY II: AFTERMATH

by kolbdog



Series: Day of the Barney [2]
Category: Barney and Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 21:24:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kolbdog/pseuds/kolbdog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second part of the series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Thirteen

Jeremy Phillips awoke to the sound of rumbling thunder, and for a moment,  
reeled in fright. The sky above was a turbulent black mass, occasionally lit  
by a silver flash of lightning. His fear quickly abated when he  
remembered his Barney doll lying beside the pillow. He firmly tucked it under  
his chin, rolled back under his dingy green blanket, and slept on the cave  
floor with several hundred other children in the cavern.

As he snuggled close to his purple plush companion, he began to think back  
to how he came to know Barney. It all began so many years ago, in a time  
completely unlike the one he lived in now. He remembered the television show,  
the feature-length movies and videos, the merchandise, and the ever-assuring  
presence of the best friend a kid could ever hope for. Most of this happened  
before the Great Act of Love.

The Great Act of Love was defined by some as a cataclysm, though these were  
the skeptics. Jeremy had actually heard an adult call it a holocaust, though  
he never understood what the word exactly meant. All he remembered was one  
weekend afternoon, and a call to duty that raised the voices and arms of  
thousands of children to purge the world of a menace that threatened the peace  
and love between Barney and the children.

They killed every adult they could find that day.

Barney had planned it well. He knew for a long time how all the adults of  
the world were trying to keep him and the children apart. Instead of giving  
in, the Purple One arranged a live, satellite-broadcast concert presented from  
the nation's capitol. The turnout was enormous, as Jeremy remembered it.  
Across the country, wide-eyed children gaped at the screen in awe and joy at  
the antics of the fat purple dinosaur and his companion, Baby Bop. Then, in a  
wise and calculated fashion, the one known as Barney unleashed his will upon  
the world, calling attention to those who opposed him. Every child carried out the  
Great Act of Love, as it would soon be called, without hesitation or remorse.  
The night turned blood red, broken by the screams of adults. By dawn however,  
a blissful serenity had settled upon the carnage.

Jeremy wasn't sure what happened next. That was all six years ago. Or  
was it seven? He was so much younger then. He did know that Barney and Baby  
Bop came again to unite all the children, and took them under his care and  
guidance. They told stories and played games with the children, and gave each  
and every child a Barney doll and blanket. The videos were shown every day,  
and though the children were left to forage for their own food, it was  
plentiful because of the vast fields of grain Barney raised with the help of  
his nameless faceless servants, known as the Loved Ones.

Jeremy had never known of or seen a Loved One until well after the Great  
Act of Love. They were mysterious creatures, who spoke no language and  
communicated in curious grunts and coos. They were squat, bulky creatures  
donned in purple and green robes. They frequented the caverns and tunnels that  
laced the landscape. Jeremy often saw them scampering about with their wooden  
torches, often carrying odd bundles up to the lair of Barney and Baby Bop.  
They weren't as loving or caring as Barney. As a matter of fact, they  
practically avoided all interaction with the children.

The other group Jeremy knew of were the Bad Ones. The Bad Ones were  
simply adults who had survived the initial slaughter stemming from the Great  
Act of Love. No one was sure how many had survived, but Barney and Baby Bop  
assured everyone that they were evil, and would come in the night and put  
poisonous spiders under your pillow if you so much as looked at one. This  
frightened the children immensely, and Jeremy hoped to God (Barney?) that he  
never met any.

But despite all the talk of Loved Ones and Bad Ones, Jeremy cared most for  
his group, known as the Special Friends. The Special Friends was an inclusive  
group, for any young child could be a Special Friend. Barney had deemed this  
early on, and it was a title every child of the caverns carried with true  
pride.

Jeremy was especially proud this evening. This was the last day he would  
be twelve-years-old. Tomorrow, he would be thirteen. Actually, so would his  
twin sister, Fran, and his best friend since second grade, Cameron. It was  
well known that it was a very special day indeed when a Special Friend turned  
thirteen. The three of them were to see Barney tomorrow night, for a "special  
gift". What it would be, no one knew. No one ever came back to tell anyone  
else....

* * * * * * * *

"What do you think we'll get?" asked Fran, as they walked up the  
glistening cold steps.

"I don't know," replied Jeremy. "Maybe we'll get a life-size Barney  
doll!"

"No, it's got to be better than that," said Cameron, adjusting his thick  
glasses and lanky red hair. "If no one comes back, it means maybe we're going  
on a vacation, maybe to Hawaii or China!"

The three of them hoped that the Loved One clambering ahead of them would  
say something, but it simply gurgled and kept climbing up the crude rock  
stairwell. It clutched its torch with a thick, leathery glove.

"I'll bet it is a vacation!" squealed Fran, the excitement rising in her  
voice. "I hope we get to choose, I want to go to Europe, that's where mom  
always-"

Fran caught herself. Ever since the Great Act of Love, no child was to  
ever mention their parents. While it made Fran sad, she wouldn't want to hurt  
Barney's feelings. He loved her just as much as her mom and dad ever did.  
Even more, he said.

The three children talked excitedly among themselves as they climbed the  
immense stairwell. Finally, they came upon a landing which opened out to a  
great open plain. Jeremy was the first to notice the bizarre sight ahead. He  
let out a short gasp, which drew the attention of Fran and Cameron.

Across the wide plain stood an ornate building, many stories high, and  
shrouded in thick ivy. It was apparent that this building was once white, but  
had been sloppily repainted in varying shades of purple and green. Great  
flocks of birds flew amidst the rubble, and scores of autombiles littered the  
landscape, rusting and shattered.

Cameron was the first to identify the structure. It was the nation's  
capitol.

The Loved One sensed the children's awe and squealed at them. The  
children followed, their gaze still locked on the grotesquely painted building.  
When they got to what was formerly the White House, they again reeled in  
amazement. The whole structure was painted in the same fashion as the capitol,  
the steps flanked by torches and statues of Barney. The children entered the  
building, and the huge armored door swung shut behind them.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Hello, all my friends! Happy thirteenth birthday to you!"

The fat purple dinosaur giggled and wobbled over to the three children.  
He gave each one a warm, enveloping hug. The children reacted joyfully, and  
cried, "We love you Barney!"

"And I love you too. I'm so happy to be with my Special Friends.  
Especially on such an important day! Let's sing a song!"

The children and Barney sang "Happy Birthday" several times, and danced  
around the room that was once called the Oval Office. From a darkened corner,  
a small ensemble of Loved Ones played the music, on poorly tuned and rusty  
instruments. The children didn't mind. They were here with their very best  
friend, Barney. And who could forget....

"Baby Bop! There you are!"

The green, baby-eyed dinosaur scampered into the room, holding three-small  
birthday cakes. "I'm here. Oooohhh, I just _Loovveeee_ parties!" She  
proceeded to hug the children and incited them to blow out the candles on their  
cake. When they did, she ecstatically jumped for joy and squealed with  
delight. The children blew out their candles and gorged themselves on the  
cake. Within minutes, they had eaten every last crumb.

Children's enthusiasm has no limit. It came to no one's surprise when the  
children asked about their Special Gift. Barney and Baby Bop both laughed  
warm-heartedly.

"But of course you'll get your Special Gift! How could we forget that?"  
said Barney, folding his arms over his immense abdomen. "Baby Bop, how about  
taking Fran to see her surprise?"

"Gladly!" squealed Baby Bop. "Come with me, Fran, you're just gonna love  
this one. It's every young girl's dream come true!" And with that, she took  
Fran by the hand and led her hurriedly out of the room. Fran could barely get  
a chance to look back at the two boys and wave goodbye. The next moment she  
and the bubbly green dinosaur were gone.

The two boys were puzzled, but excited. "Barney, you mean Fran gets a  
different Special Gift than us boys?" asked Jeremy.

"Why yes she does, Jeremy. But don't worry, your gift is just as special.  
All I want you to do right now is hold very still." The next moment Barney  
took a thick slab of charcoal and wrote "13" on the boys' foreheads. He then  
nodded to the Loved Ones in the corner, and they left the room with their  
instruments. Only one Loved One remained, and he brought a cloth-wrapped  
bundle to the Purple One. "Okay, Jeremy and Cameron, I want you to kneel on  
the floor and close your eyes. Then I'll give you your Special Gift!"

The two boys looked at each other, but both believed in Barney. Why would  
he do something bad to them? They kneeled on the floor and closed their eyes.  
Both began wondering what they would be getting. A ticket for a jet ride? An  
envelope filled with money? The possibilities were staggering to a young  
child's mind.

From behind them, the boys heard Barney unwrap the bundle. A moment  
later, there came a curious sound, the sound of metal chafing against leather.

Something wasn't right.

Jeremy flung himself forward, just as a swishing noise came down upon him.  
He hit the floor hard, and he heard Cameron hit the floor alongside him. He  
opened his eyes and stared at Cameron. His head was chopped off.

Jeremy screamed in terror, and in his fright rose to his feet and ran  
straight into a wall. He hit with tremendous force and he felt the wind  
knocked out of him. He fell back on the floor, and stared into the severed  
head of his best friend since second grade. He screamed again, and looked up  
at Barney, wielding an immense, blood-stained machete. The fat squalid reptile  
looked back with a puzzled look.

"Why Jeremy, you weren't supposed to peek! When you play a game, you  
should always play by the rules. Rules are what makes a game work." Barney  
giggled and motioned with his arm. "Now come back here and close your eyes.  
It'll be fun!"

"You....you killed..C-C-Cameron!" cried Jeremy, tears running down his  
face. "You-you're gonna kill me too!"

"Why Jeremy, why would I do that? Cameron's not dead, he's just playing a  
pretend game! If you had played the game right as he had, you'd be having fun  
pretending like he is!"

Jeremy stared back at the lifeless head of Cameron. A small trickle of  
blood flowed out of his nose, and his thick glasses were shattered. Smeared  
around the dead boy's mouth was pink frosting. Sensing Jeremy's fear, the  
Purple One returned the machete to its sheath and gave it back to the Loved  
One.

"There, Jeremy. I've put the scary knife away. I'm sorry I scared you.  
I'm sure Cameron is sorry too. Now come on back here. I'm not going to hurt  
you, Jeremy. Don't you know how much I love you?"

"I...I....I love you too...Barney" muttered Jeremy, his eyes still locked  
upon the battered head on the floor. He slowly rose up, and began walking  
towards the bloated purple dinosaur.

"There, there, Jeremy, we'll still have fun," said Barney in a motherly  
tone. He extended his chubby arms towards the child. "I'm not going to hurt  
you...I'm not going to hurt you...."

Jeremy walked between Barney's arms and rested against his fat belly. The  
Purple One wrapped firmly behind the boy, gently stroking his sandy hair.

"...I'm going to kill you!"

The next instant the arms locked onto the boy's neck, plump purple talons  
digging into his throat. Jeremy tried to scream, but the air was cut off and  
he could only thrash about wildly. Barney began giggling again, and as he  
proceeded to strangle the child, sang a lullaby:

I love you, you love me....let me kill you Jeremy....in another  
moment you'll be gone....then my power will continue on....

Jeremy's tongue and eyes bulged tremendously, his feet kicking  
sporadically. Lights flashed before his eyes, and all he could see in between  
was the wide, moronic grin and lifeless eyes of the gigantic purple beast  
choking him. His lungs were bursting, and a roaring sound rushed through his  
ears...

The next thing he knew, he was on the floor, gasping for air. He looked  
up and saw the fat bloated beast curled next to him, moaning in pain. He  
must've kicked Barney in a good spot, to have rendered him powerless. Jeremy  
began to crawl away, when he noticed the Loved One unsheathing the machete and  
scampering towards him.

Jeremy quickly picked himself up and ran out the door. The Loved One  
paused, then dropped the machete and tended to Barney, who was still writhing  
on the floor in pain. Another time, perhaps.

* * * * * * *

Jeremy ran blindly through the hallway, he'd been here a long time ago  
when adults still occupied the building. He and his parents had been here on a  
tour, and true to a child's memory, he could remember a back entrance that  
would take him to safety, hopefully. Behind him he heard the muffled cries of  
Loved Ones, who were obviously chasing him. He knew immediately that he could  
outrun them all.

When he tried the back lock, Jeremy found it to be open. He flung the door  
and ran out onto a back terrace. Through the darkness, he ran across an odd,  
lumpy surface. It was almost like running on a field covered with cantaloupes.  
It wasn't until he got on the far edge of the surface that he began to realize  
what the surface was.

They were heads.

Jeremy had never seen a more unholy, dark sight. In the silver rays of  
the moon above, Jeremy looked upon the hundreds of skulls that littered the  
terrace area. He gaped, dumbfounded at the scene, and kept running and running  
until he had cleared the last head by a wide distance.

He was now in the ruins of a city, empty and quiet like a tomb. Jeremy  
looked back at the sinister silhouette of the capitol building and wondered how  
soon Barney and the Loved Ones would be out, searching for him. He began to  
fear for his sister Fran, and wondered what "Special Gift" she had been given  
by Baby Bop. All the time, his mind raced back to what he had seen crudely  
scrawled onto each head, and of his own age, the age of impending adulthood:

Thirteen.


	2. Withdrawl

The rain plodded steadily down the streets and alleys, and Jeremy learned  
for the first time what it was to be truly alone. He reclined on a pile of  
dusty blankets next to a short candle that provided the only light in the  
abandoned warehouse. Shattered glass covered the floor, and through the gutted  
ceiling, Jeremy could see the damaged, blackened beams that supported the high  
walls.

It was his third week away from the caverns, and he wondered if he was even  
a Special Friend anymore. Of all the times he'd been betrayed by friends, the  
last one he suspected of doing it to him was Barney. Barney who took him, his  
sister, and his best friend up to his beautiful lair. To sing, to dance, to  
receive a "Special Gift". But it was all a horrifying lie.

Barney had taken Fran away, left in the company of Baby Bop. He had  
killed Cameron with a blow to the head with a machete. And he had tried to  
kill Jeremy, by locking his arms around the throat, still wearing his idiotic  
grin and giggling. All of this, just because the three children turned  
thirteen.

Jeremy listened to the rain dance upon the pavement, which was drenched  
with filth and rubble. It was only some years ago that adults frequented the  
streets, going about their way to work. Now it was still. Jeremy could not  
break the stillness, for were he to yell or sing or cry, it could bring about  
the attention of the Loved Ones. Many times Jeremy had spied them shuffling  
about the ruins of the city, looking for him, offering Barney dolls with one  
hand while clutching a torch with the other. They came mostly at night, and  
all Jeremy could see of them were their cloaked, squat bodies clad in purple  
and green. Jeremy prayed they would go away.

Jeremy also feared the Bad Ones. It had been so long since he'd seen an  
adult, but he remembered the stories Barney and Baby Bop told of them. How  
they liked to pull the hair of children, and hit them without reason. It was  
this reason that all adults were to be shunned, if not destroyed. Jeremy  
prayed they would go away too.

He was surprised that he had lasted as long as he had. For while he was  
alone, he managed to find decent shelter and other staples, mostly from  
ransacked buildings and stores. He dared not sleep in the same place more than  
once, lest he be found. He had come back to a few places he'd been before,  
only to sense that the Loved Ones, or someone, had been there too.

Now he lay atop the stack of ragged blankets, wishing he still had his  
Barney doll. For some inexplicable reason, he missed the fat, bouncy dinosaur.  
The very creature that killed his friend and abducted his sister still had some  
emotional control over him, and it scared Jeremy. At night he could still hear  
the Barney love-song, playing over and over again until he broke down in tears.  
The chubby purple beast was the first creature that ever made him feel truly  
loved:  
I love you, you love me, we're a happy family...with  
a great big kiss and hug from me to you, won't you say  
you love me too?

Then he envisioned the dead eyes and horrible laugh Barney chuckled while  
tightening his fingers around Jeremy's tender young neck. The relapse caused  
Jeremy to scream frantically, and his outburst lasted a full minute before he  
realized the danger he was putting himself into. When he did regain his  
composure, Jeremy blew out the candle and crouched by the window.

He hoped to God (Barney?) that no one heard him.

Jeremy stared out at the vast darkness, as the rain continued to fall.  
For a few moments, it looked like he was safe. Then, down a thick, crumbling  
alley, he saw a soft blur of light. This was soon followed by two, maybe three  
others, and they began closing in. The Loved Ones had heard the scream, and  
were eagerly scrambling over to reclaim Jeremy.

"No, no, go away," muttered the boy. He was terrified. The huddle of  
cloaked creatures came closer and closer.

Jeremy grabbed the candle and a dusty blanket. He couldn't leave out the  
front, they'd see him for sure. His eyes raced over the destroyed room, when  
he noticed a flight of stairs. With some luck, it would lead to another  
building or even a fire escape. Jeremy scurried up the steps and watched from  
a dark pile of rubble.

No more than a few minutes passed before the first Loved One entered the  
building. It stood only about four feet high, and gurgled to the others in a  
bizarre language. Soon it came to the pile of blankets where Jeremy had lain  
just shortly before, and felt the warmth. It nodded its head, and giggled.  
With a wave of its hand, it motioned the other three Loved Ones to search the  
area. One immediately started up the steps towards where Jeremy was hiding.

Jeremy knew that his best bet was to remain hidden and quiet. He stood  
behind a battered crate, breathless. He watched in horrified fascination as  
the Loved One clumsily waddled up the stairs, waving its torch back and forth.  
As an offering, it carried a soft plush Barney doll in its other hand. The  
Barney doll was entrancing in an odd way, and Jeremy's first impulse was to  
walk out and take it. But his instinct kept him away.

I'll hide here and maybe they'll be gone soon, thought Jeremy. He had  
never liked the Loved Ones anyway. As long as he could stay hidden, he would  
be safe. The Loved One would look around briefly, then be gone. He was sure  
of it. All Jeremy had to do was stay still, and wait.

"Jeremy! Jeremy! This is your good friend Barney! Are you in there?"

Jeremy froze. The voice had come from outside.

"Jeremy, I know you must be really mad at me, but I want you to know that  
I'm sorry. I really, really am! I hope that you and I could still be friends.  
Don't you know that I miss you? So does Fran! How could you leave your sister  
behind like that? "

Jeremy watched as a tall, stocky silhouette came in. There was no denying  
who it was. Jeremy was suddenly filled with a tremendous urge to run out and  
embrace the fat purple dinosaur.

"Gosh, Jeremy, it sure is dark and cold in here. Not to mention damp!"  
Barney lit a torch and examined the lower level. "So much dust and broken  
glass. Wouldn't you like to come back home? Tonight, we're having a lot of  
fun games and parties, and you're our guest of honor! I'll bet you'll have so  
much fun! There's ice cream and cake, plus lots of presents. In fact, if you  
come back to me right now, I'll make sure you get to lead all the games!"

No, no, no, thought Jeremy. He killed Cameron. He may have killed Fran.  
He'll probably kill you. Don't believe him. Barney lied once, he may do it  
again.

Barney scratched his head and sat upon the blankets. "Jeremy, do you know  
why I'm out here tonight? Because I love you. You know, I never told you this  
before, but you are my favorite, favorite friend in the whole wide world.  
That's why I want you back. I'm sorry I was so bad to you before, but I  
promise it will never happen again. But if you love me too, and I know you do,  
you'll come running out here right now for a great big kiss and hug!"

"Barney, I missed you and I love you too!" cried Jeremy, coming out from  
behind the crate. Tears ran down the boy's cheeks and when Barney saw him, the  
plum-colored lizard extended his arms in a loving gesture.

"Well that's wonderful!"exclaimed Barney. "Come on down, Jeremy, let's  
hug!"

Jeremy started to dash down the steps but as he did, the Loved One who had  
been at the top of the stairs suddenly lurched at the boy and grabbed him by  
the arm. The boy screamed and struggled.

"Not now, you fool!" bellowed the dinosaur.

Jeremy shrieked and fought with the Loved One, who had now dropped his  
torch and Barney doll, and was trying to get both hands on the child. The  
rotting, partially destroyed floor rocked and keeled below them. Jeremy  
managed to get his foot behind the Loved One and shoved hard. The next instant  
the cloaked creature fell through the damp, plaster wall and impaled itself on  
a sharp jutting metal beam. Its jagged razor edges slid through the Loved One  
like a knife through butter.

The scream was bestial and piercing. As thick, pink ochre gushed out of  
the Loved One's wound, it spasmodically thrashed, clutching at the beam that  
emerged dead center of its chest. In its initial throes, it accidentally flung  
back its cloak, revealing the creaure hidden within.

Jeremy gasped at what he saw. The Loved One was a horrid caricature, part  
human, part dinosaur. It was covered in sagging, pale red skin that was  
spotted with green and brown patches. Its eyes bulged with a serene, almost  
idiotic gaze. The teeth were smooth, perfect, and a creamy white in color. As  
the Loved One struggled in desperation, its thick, lumbering tail lashed back  
and worth, crumbling the wood below it. Finally, with a low, raspy groan, its  
eyes rolled back and thin trickles of pink and orange fluid seeped down its  
snout, nostrils, and chin. It was dead.

"Jeremy, don't be scared. Come back to me! I'll protect you!"

Jeremy looked back at the Purple Beast. He sensed a certain falseness and  
anger withing Barney, and started shuffling back away from the stairs. The  
dinosaur edged near the steps, and hesitated. Jeremy immediately realized that  
Barney was afraid to go any further. His massive bulk would probably cause him  
to fall through the rafters.

Jeremy ran back towards the rear half of the building. He immediately  
heard more scampering up the steps, and he knew the other Loved Ones were after  
him. He picked up a brick and hurled it at the closest one, and hit it square  
in the face. It growled in anger, and reached under the folds of its cloak,  
producing a rusty hatchet. It flung it at Jeremy, who managed to duck in time.  
The blade whizzed by, embedding itself into a thick beam.

Jeremy found a window and looked down. There was a fire escape. He  
promptly scrambled down it, the Loved Ones close behind. Several times they  
clutched for him, but he was too fast and agile for the creatures. At the  
bottom, he jumped off the landing and into a dumpster filled with paper and  
cardboard. He pulled himself out and tore down the street, the rain drizzling  
upon him. In the distance he heard a high-pitched plea...

"Jeremy...come back....don't you know I love you...?"

* * * * *

The next day Jeremy found himself in a sporting goods store. He quickly  
went to the camping rations and tore open the flimsy packets of dried food and  
snacks. The boy ate voraciously, and gained his senses. No way was he ever  
going back to being Barney's "Special Friend". The events from last night  
certified that. But now it was time to face up to the problem, rather than  
keep running away from it. He still had his sister Fran to consider. What if  
she was still alive? And what of his friends he left behind? Soon some of  
them would be turning thirteen, and facing the same fate as Cameron had:  
headless and forgotten.

Jeremy knew that he'd have to come back to the caverns and face the Purple  
Beast. If he stayed out here, he'd most likely be hunted and killed by Loved  
Ones or even the Bad Ones. It was a no win situation either way. Best to go  
down fighting, as his uncle had once told him. The sentiment burned in the  
young boy's mind, and he liked that.

As Jeremy cleaned himself at a small puddle, he began wondering how he'd  
best prepare for another (and possibly final) encounter with Barney, Baby Bop,  
and the minions known as the Loved Ones. He seemed to recollect something  
about the sporting goods shop and walked back inside. He went near the back  
area and stopped. He found what he was looking for.

On the walls were various rifles, shotguns, and hunting knives. Jeremy  
sucked in his breath and began removing them from their mountings.

It was time to prepare.


	3. Redemption

The last rays of sun crept under the horizon, immersing the devastated  
skyline in sullen darkness. A small figure clad in a purple and green cloak  
warily made it way towards the caverns, just below the main plaza of a  
structure once known as the White House. The cloak covered the figure very  
loosely, and several times the being had to stop and readjust the garment.

If one were to inspect the figure closer, they would realize the cloak had  
a huge gaping hole through the back of it, and the wearer was a child barely in  
his teens. Were one to look beyond this, they would see the child brandished  
several broad hunting knives, a semi-automatic pistol, and sawed-off shotgun.  
Jeremy Phillips had come to settle a score with a certain purple behemoth named  
Barney.

Jeremy had trouble moving for several reasons; the cloak kept sagging and  
slipping, threatening to either trip him or reveal him to be what he truly was  
and not a Loved One; the weight of his munitions and armanent grew increasingly  
heavier with each passing moment, causing the youth to pause for breath every  
few hundred yards; and the utter fear and apprehension of facing Barney and his  
evil minions was wreaking its toll on the boy.

Jeremy felt he had no choice. It would either be him or countless other  
children before him, suffering the same fate Cameron had, or the unknown  
circumstance that Fran was now in. Jeremy felt ready as he could, he had fired  
a gun for the first time yesterday, killing a Loved One in the process.

He could see the squalid beast now, foraging in the city ruins, looking  
for him. He had woken to its gurgling noise, and crawled out of hiding for a  
closer look. The Loved One was alone, and appeared lost or confused.  
Certainly it must be a trap, thought Jeremy. No Loved One had ever travelled  
through the city alone before. But as time passed and he continued to watch  
it, he realized that it was indeed by itself. And by the time he realized  
this, the Loved One sniffed the air, turned around, and saw Jeremy staring at  
it from the street. It gave an ungodly cry, pulled out a short, spiked club,  
and ran towards Jeremy.

The next moment, Jeremy stood amidst a cloud of smoke and stinging vapor.  
His ears were ringing, and he felt the heavy weight of the pistol in his hand.  
His arm felt numb, and he began to realize just what had happened. He looked  
upon the ground and saw the twitching, corpulent body of the Loved One. A  
moment later, its eyes sunk back into their sockets, and its entire body  
slumped. Jeremy had killed.

Jeremy could not understand why he felt no remorse. He remembered how he  
cried when his cat, Snooper, was euthanized at the veterinarian. How he cried  
when his parents left for vacation. How he cried when he couldn't play with  
his friends because it was past his bedtime. Those times were long ago, but  
Jeremy rememebered them well. And he felt great sadness. Yet he felt no  
sadness for this wretched creature that lay still and oozing pasty pink blood  
out of its wound. Perhaps it was a good thing, if Jeremy meant to do what he  
planned that night.

Presently, Jeremy neared the White House plaza. He had kept careful track  
of the days and time, he knew that it was time for the Imagination Game. Just  
before bedtime, Barney would entertain the children by singing and playing, and  
the Imagination Game highlighted the entire evening. All of the children would  
be there. So would all the Loved Ones, to monitor the children and play the  
music. There was no better time to return.

The first thing Jeremy had to do was find his twin sister, Fran. After so  
many weeks, he was curious to know what Baby Bop had done to her. As he once  
again crossed the wide field of skulls, he feared the worst. He dared not look  
at the decapitated heads for too long, lest he see Cameron's lying there, with  
his shattered glasses and frosting-smeared mouth.

Off in the distance, Jeremy could hear the faint strains of music and  
laughter. The nighttime games and songs had begun. He climbed the back steps  
of the building and gently pried open one of the cold metal doors. He gazed  
down the dim, carpeted hall and walked in. He adjusted his cloak over his  
head, so if seen, he'd stand to be mistaken for a Loved One. As expected  
though, he saw no one.

Jeremy remembered that at the thirteenth birthday celebration, Baby Bop  
had taken Fran outside the party room and down the hall somewhere. He figured  
that if it was a common route, maybe there would be more impressions marking  
the path. He eventually came to a well-worn, dirtied trail of carpet, and  
cocking his pistol, followed it down a corridor and around a passage that led  
to the cellar. He was surprised at what he saw.

It was a paved, insulated cavern with smooth walls and brightly lit  
hallways. Flanking each hallway were sets of thick metal doors with wide,  
square windows. Jeremy sat silently and listened. From behind many of the  
doors were odd, gurgling noises. Some were shrill cries, other were soft  
murmurs. Occasionally, the clanging of metal tools could be heard, and Jeremy  
observed a row of long tables on the far end of the hall, covered with bottles,  
linen, and blankets.

Jeremy was in a nursery.

He cautiously made his way to one of the doors and peered in the window.  
He saw a young girl sleeping on a metal bed, surrounded by flowers and Barney  
dolls. Her stomach was enormously swollen, and Jeremy noticed movement within  
her abdomen. Something about the scene made him uncomfortably ill. He ran  
down the hall, peering in each door as he passed along them. Many of the rooms  
were the same. Young teenage girls in varying degrees of pregnancy, yet with  
stomachs unnaturally huge for any normal child. Jeremy remembered his aunt who  
visited him at his house one day, she was almost ready to give birth. But her  
stomach was never as large as the girls he had seen in the basement. What were  
these people giving birth to?

Jeremy saw tags on the doors, crudely written in crayon. Names of the  
expectant mothers. Jennifer. Molly. Susan. Linda. Victoria. Talia. Beth.  
Brenda. Gretchen. Prudence. Sarah.

Where was Fran?

Jeremy ran down an adjoining corridor, one that had a metallic tinge in  
its smell and color. At the middle junction, he saw a brightly lit room,  
visible from a huge sheet of reinforced glass. Jeremy neared closer, and  
peered in. The sight within made him shiver.

Arranged in neat rows of clear acrylic cribs were newborn children. But  
they weren't any children as Jeremy knew. They were large, fat, gelatinous  
creatures with puggish snouts and large, sedated eyes. Their skin hung in  
great reddish folds, covered with green and brown spots in random patterns.  
>From under thier immense, pale bellys hung thick, scaly tails that whipped  
around clumsily. Most of the infants had already begun teething. Their teeth  
were smooth, creamy white, and perfectly cropped. The horrid mass fumbled  
in their cribs, chittering and gurgling, staring stupidly back at the terrified  
boy.

Now Jeremy knew who the Loved Ones really were and where they came from.  
He supressed the desire to scream in terror, and scampered down the hall,  
hoping to find Fran. He wasn't quite sure where one particular corridor would  
lead, but he followed it in the vain hope of finding his sister. At the end of  
it, he saw a door with a sign on it. The word on the sign was unknown to  
Jeremy, and it was scrawled clumsily with a red crayon: MORGUE.

The smell was overpowering as Jeremy walked in. The room was enormous,  
and painted in an institutional grey-blue. Only a few of the room's  
fluorescent overhead lights were on, and they flickered sporadically. Arranged  
in straight columns were gurneys with sheet-covered lumps upon them.

Summoning up his courage, Jeremy lifted one of the sheets.

Whoever it was, she had been dead for sometime. The skin was a marbled  
white, and the eyes were glazed and dilated. She had long brown hair and faint  
red freckles dotting her cheeks. As Jeremy looked further, he noticed a great  
recession in her stomach, and lifted the nightgown. What he saw made him  
violently ill. She had no stomach left, and there were signs that indicated  
something had burrowed its way out from within the cavity. This young woman  
had been the unfortunate mother of a Loved One, like many others laid upon the  
cold steel gurneys of the morgue.

Jeremy ran frantically down the corridor, forgetting that someone could  
hear him. He ran down another brightly lit hall, past another nursery. From  
behind the glass, Jeremy could hear the evil spawn gurgling and crying. His  
only wish was to escape from this unimaginable horror. He looked about the  
corridors in a complete state of dread and confusion.

"Jeremy! Is that you?"

Jeremy froze. Slowly he turned around. It was Fran.

She stood outside her door, clad in purple and green pajamas. She looked  
well kept and groomed. She smiled and ran towards him. "Oh Jeremy, I've  
missed you so much!"

Jeremy ran towards his sister and the two embraced. He was amazed at how  
well she looked. She stood back and stared at the guns and knives he carried.

"Jeremy, what is all that? Why are you back from China so soon?"

"China? You mean they told you I went to China? Don't you know what  
happened to me? To Cameron?"

"Barney told me you went away to China, and that you would be back real  
soon," she replied. "But look at me. Baby Bop and the Loved Ones have been  
giving me so much love and attention since my birthday. I feel just like a  
queen."

Jeremy looked at his sister. She looked far cleaner and healthier than he  
did. He remembered the last words he heard Baby Bop tell Fran before leading  
her out of the Oval Office: "It's every girl's dream come true!"

Jeremy swallowed hard and asked his sister, "Fran, what was your 'Special  
Gift'?"

"Barney and Baby Bop are going to make me a mother!" Fran replied  
joyfully. Her eyes sparkled with excitment and her whole body cringed with  
excitment. "Barney says it won't be much longer until I'm ready, then they're  
gonna put a specially created baby inside my body, isn't that wonderful?"

"Oh, no...." said Jeremy, his voice getting strained. "No, Fran, don't do  
it! Look, let me tell you what happens to those who bear children for Barney.  
They're dead. And their children, they aren't normal. They're monsters!  
We've got to get you out of here Fran, you'll die if you stay. Barney killed  
Cameron and he tried to kill me. He doesn't love you, he'll let you die!"

"No!" shrieked Fran, covering her ears. "Don't tell me such things.  
Barney loves me, and I'm going to be a happy mother! A happy mother, Jeremy!"

Jeremy reached for his sister. As he did though, a green scaly arm  
grabbed his shoulder. He was pulled behind and looked into the baby-like eyes  
of Barney's sinister companion, Baby Bop.

"For shame, Jeremy, making your sister cwy like that! Don't you know it's  
not nice to lie? Shame, shame, shame, naughty Jeremy!"

Jeremy thrashed and hollered, but the green and pink dinosaur held on with  
uncanny strength. Baby Bop motioned Fran to return to her room, but the girl  
only wandered back halfway. Baby Bop latched both hands onto Jeremy's  
shoulders and shook him violently.

"Bad, bad, Jeremy-boy! No manners for sister! Wait'll I get Barney down  
here, he'll teach you to be so bad! Do you know what happens to bad, bad boys?  
Do you?"

Jeremy stared in stunned horror at the squeaky-voiced reptile. He could  
only shake his head.

"They get the blade, they do! Bad boys get cut! Deep, deep, deep cut!"  
And with a motion smooth and silent as the wind, Baby Bop pulled a thin,  
tapering dagger from under her blanket. She thrust it toward Jeremy's wrist.

Jeremy caught her by the hand, and the two fell upon the floor,  
struggling. She began giggling demonically, prying the dagger closer to  
Jeremy's tender young skin. From behind, Jeremy could hear his sister  
screaming. The next moment he pulled his other arm free and unstrapped his  
Bowie knife. He thrust it upward, meeting soft green flesh.

Baby Bop gave a shrill cry and staggered back. The knife had lodged deep  
into her shoulder. She desperately tried to pull it out, screaming profanities  
and inaudible curses. Jeremy leveled his pistol at her and fired.

The impact of the shot flung the green and pink dinosaur several feet  
backwards. The recoil knocked Jeremy flat against his back.

When Jeremy recovered, Fran was kneeling over him. "Jeremy! Jeremy! Are  
you okay?"

Jeremy slowly rose and stood, rubbing his arm. He looked down the hall at  
Baby Bop. The giggly dinosaur lay flat in a puddle of pinkish ooze,  
motionless.

"Jeremy, you....you killed Baby Bop!"

Jeremy put his arm gently on Fran's shoulder. "Sis, you need to see  
something".

The two of them hurriedly dashed past Baby Bop's body, and over to the  
morgue and nurseries. Putting it mildly, Fran was mortified at what she saw.

"I can't believe it, " she muttered. "I was going to have one of those?  
And die from it?"

"That's not even half of it," said Jeremy, reloading the pistol. He  
dumped the empty cartridges upon the floor and snapped the chamber back into  
place. "Barney and Baby Bop have been killing older children for years. Their  
heads are in the back plaza. He must not want any of us growing into adults."

Fran and Jeremy quickly made their way out of the cellar. At the foot of  
the stairs, Jeremy carefully aimed his gun at a set of pipes and cords lacing  
the ceiling. He fired several shots into them, causing steam and sparks to  
spray everywhere. The lights began to flicker madly, and the two children ran  
up the stairwell. Once at the main doorway, Jeremy and Fran pushed furniture  
and other heavy items against the metal doors. Smoke and steam began seeping  
from the cracks. Beyond the door, the children heard bestial screaming and  
clawing noises at the barricade. They hurried outside.

Jeremy and Fran caught their breath upon exiting the building. He could  
tell his sister was shaken and scared. He put the gun back under his shirt and  
talked to her.

"It's gonna be okay, Sis, it's gonna be okay".

"I want my parents back," she said. Her voice lacked emotion, she had  
been through enough. "What do we do now?"

Jeremy looked at his sister, then back at the White House. Great plumes  
of flame poured from the building. The entire scene was bathed in a hellish  
glow of gold and fiery red. He remembered his shotgun and slid it out of his  
coat pocket.

"I need to see Barney", he said. Off in the distance he could hear the  
singing of children.


	4. Pendulum

Barney the Dinosaur appeared especially merry that evening, his dance  
carried a heavier step and bounce than usual, and his singing more jubilant  
than before. Were he to realize that Jeremy Phillips was back that night, he  
may have been less exuberant. In fact, were he to know of the destruction of  
his secret nursery, the mass extermination of the Loved One infants, and  
especially the death of Baby Bop, Barney would not be happy at all. One would  
suspect he could fly into a murderous rage, though the very thought seemed  
absurd....

But for the moment, Barney reigned triumphant. Hundreds of children  
danced in mindless abandon around the flanks of the fat purple reptile, while  
the cloaked musicians huddled in the center of the cavern, playing flighty  
melodies on rusted instruments. The whole scene was a chaotic sea of purple  
and green, and the air resounded laughter and singing. Were anyone to venture  
back out into the outer plaza above the cavern lair, they would be astounded to  
see the former White House shrouded in flame and smoke.

"Hey kids, isn't this some fun?" giggled Barney. "Playtime is always a  
good time. It's like having a circus in your very own home!"

Acknowledging the cue, the Loved Ones in the band picked up their  
instruments and began playing "A Circus In My Home", while Barney donned a  
ringmaster's hat and coat. The children watched in amazement as the dinosaur  
began juggling and singing of the wonders under the Big Top.

Outside the cavern entrance, Jeremy Phillips rechecked the shotgun and  
adjusted the sheath containing a serrated hunting knife. He pulled the ragged  
purple and green cloak over his head and hands, then began making his way down  
the stairwell. His pistol lay with Fran, who he had instructed to stay behind  
outside the main plaza. While she did not care for the heavy firearm,  
they both agreed she may need protection...

Jeremy ran a few movie scenes through his head, movies that featured a  
lone warrior against an overwhelming foe. He had particularly liked the Rambo  
movies, though his mother lectured him heavily about the needlessness of  
violence. His uncle showed him the entire series when he spent a weekend at  
his apartment once. Jeremy knew he was nowhere close to Rambo, and he wondered  
what the stoic war-veteran would've done against a fat purple dinosaur who  
smiled a lot.

The cavern echoed with the chanting of children, and the torch-lit shadows  
covered the walls with eerie figures and shapes. In the middle of this pranced  
the Purple One himself; inciter of riots, killer of children, father of  
monsters, maker of a world marked by terror and insanity.

Jeremy had feared that the closer he got to Barney, the weaker he would  
become. But as the weeks had progressed, he felt stronger than he ever had  
before. It was the lack of Barney-videos, the absence of his plush purple doll  
and blanket, and the time spent away from the Purple One's songs and false  
displays of affection that brought the boy to his senses. But maybe it was  
more than that; what if Barney's power only extended to young children? What  
if impending adulthood, with its major physical and mental changes challenged  
the control he wielded over the minds of the young? It would certainly explain  
the need to kill children on the brink of adulthood. Was it this that impelled  
Barney to kill Cameron and almost Jeremy on their thirteenth birthday? Could  
Barney simply be afraid of a childs' change of life?

Jeremy had little time to ponder these questions, for as he cleared the  
landing, he came across a Loved One. The creature paused for a moment,  
confused. Jeremy, hoping his human features were not visible to the bloated,  
dwarfed monster, bowed his head and froze. The Loved One responded by gurgling  
out a few inaudible commands, and notioned Jeremy to follow. The two of them  
cleared another landing, and entered the circle of musicians playing for the  
children. Jeremy sat at the edge of the circle, terrified. What did they want  
him to do?

The Loved One who led Jeremy to the circle lifted the lid to a rotting old  
trunk and produced a flat, tightly-bound drum. He gave it to the boy and  
notioned for him to sit down. Jeremy sat between two Loved Ones playing the  
banjo and lute, and began to pound in rhythm with the music. It was a song  
about eating a balanced diet, and its hypnotic monotony began to entrance  
Jeremy. He managed to shake it off, though, for he kept thinking about Cameron  
and what lay in store for the rest of the children.

The folds of the cloak hid Jeremy's hands completely, though he knew that  
he looked extremely undernourished compared to the plump, blubbery creatures  
around him. On occasion, he caught the Loved One across from him staring, as  
if it were suspicious. But as long as he kept still and kept playing, Jeremy  
knew he'd be okay. He began to notice an odd texture about the drum, and upon  
closer inspection, saw several fine hairs protruding along the surface. In the  
upper corner of the instrument was a navel. The disguised boy swallowed hard,  
and kept promising himself he'd be alright.

Jeremy lost his self-assurance when he saw Fran making her way down the  
stairwell. She was still clad in her purple and green pajamas, and had wrapped  
herself in a Barney blanket. Jeremy could not believe it. Was she reverting  
back to her unquestioning devotion to the Purple One? Hadn't she believed what  
he had shown her in the cellar?

"Why, look everyone, it's Fran!" Barney hollered.

Jeremy felt the world falling apart. His sister ran down the stairs and  
into the crowd of children. "Oh Barney, I've missed you so! "

"Why I've missed you too, Fran. Say 'hello' to Fran, everyone!" said  
Barney, who cradled the young girl between his fat, stocky arms. The mass of  
children all waved, and smiled. The young girl hugged the purple dinosaur, a  
tear rolling down her cheek.

"Barney, are you really doing these terrible things to us? Why must so  
many of us die?"

The bloated reptile paused for a moment. In the somber lighting of the  
cavern, one would be uncertain whether the dinosaur's coloration changed to a  
vibrant shade of scarlet or not. He relaxed his grip on Fran.

"Why Fran, I have no idea what you're talking about. I bet you just had a  
bad dream is all. Don't you know how much I love you? I wouldn't hurt a hair  
on your head or anyone else's? I think you better get back to sleep, you need  
your rest!"

Fran stepped back from Barney. "Jeremy never went to China. He said you  
killed Cameron and tried to kill him. Only because they turned thirteen. Then  
I saw those things in the nursery, the Loved Ones, and then I saw the girls who  
were made to bear your-"

"Get this kid to bed!" stammered the dinosaur, his head twitching  
nervously. "She's obviously had a real bad dream, and that gives me a great  
idea for a song! Off to bed, Fran, goodnight!"

Jeremy watched as a Loved One rose from the ensemble, it was the one who  
had been staring at him since he joined the circle. It pulled a set of chains  
from under its cloak, an iron muzzle hanging from the end. It was going to  
take Fran back upstairs, back to the White House cellar, where it would see the  
fire and the dead charred bodies of its kin and suspect that perhaps it was her  
doing and maybe-

Jeremy stood up and blocked the Loved One's path. It halted, then Jeremy  
flung back his cloak, revealing his human features. It was long enough to  
surprise the creature while Jeremy slid out the shotgun and fired.

The explosion blossomed into the darkness, splattering the Loved One's  
ochre against the rest of the musicians. It happened so suddenly that it never  
issued a scream. It merely flung backwards upon the cave floor, and twitched  
for another moment. The rest of the Loved Ones in the ensemble scrambled away  
into the crowd of children, who screamed in terror and surprise. Taking  
advantage of the moment, Jeremy slid another cartridge into the smoking chamber  
and reclipped the shotgun.

Unfortunately, Barney had seized the moment as well. When Jeremy turned  
back to face the Beast of Purple, the reptile had seized Fran and clamped his  
talons along the base of her fragile neck.

"Why Jeremy, what a wonderful surprise! I think you know everyone here,  
why did you shoot my friend, the Loved One? Don't you know that guns are  
dangerous? Put it away, Jeremy, and Fran won't be hurt."

"No," replied the boy. "You let her go first. I don't want to kill you  
Barney, but I'll shoot if I have to. You aren't going to kill any more of us."

Barney giggled. "Look here, everyone. Jeremy is threatening me, your old  
pal Barney. I've done nothing wrong or bad. It's him, shooting my friends and  
he'll probably kill us if we're not careful!" It was noticeable that the  
dinosaur's voice was strained and quivering.

"Let her go!" yelled Jeremy. He looked at the mass of children, huddled  
in fear on the cavern floor. Many clutched their Barney dolls and looked at  
him with pleading wide eyes. Jeremy hesitated for a moment, then collected  
himself as he pictured their delicate skulls littering the back plaza of the  
White House outside.

Fran struggled, but Barney had a firm grip upon her throat. "I have an  
idea!" said the plump lizard, "let's sing a song we all know and love. Maybe  
that will make you feel better, Jeremy." He motioned for the cloaked musicians  
to come back, and they slowly picked up their instruments and began playing an  
all-too familiar melody....

It was the Barney love song.

"Stop it!" cried Jeremy.

Barney had chosen the song for several reasons. Mainly, it was the most  
recognized and entrancing song he could arrange. But it was also sufficient  
to distract Jeremy while a Loved One who was previously guarding the back  
entrance came around from behind the boy.

I love you...you love me...we're a happy family........

The entire crowd of children joined in, while Barney swayed in rhythm, his  
hands still clasping Fran's neck. Jeremy was completely disoriented. As he  
listened to the music, he wished to liberate his sister and the rest of the  
children, but at the same time, he wanted to join in and sing a chorus himself.  
Harsh reality awakened the boy when the Loved One grabbed him from behind and  
clutched for the shotgun.

"Yes, yes, get the gun away from the boy!" commanded the chubby reptile.  
In his excitement he released his grip from Fran, who ran over to the aid of  
her brother. The three struggled for control of the weapon, while Barney  
conducted the body of youngsters who were entirely hypnotized by the music and  
the dinosaur's swaying.

Fingers clutched for the trigger, while the barrel rocked crazily in many  
directions. The Loved One kept hitting away at the two children, who were  
steadily wrenching the gun out of its grasp.

With a great big hug and kiss, from me to you...won't you say-

In a desperate attempt to reclaim the shotgun, the Loved One yanked hard,  
the trigger meeting flesh and slamming the hammer. The three fell backwards,  
as Barney's right arm exploded at the elbow.

As Fran pinned the Loved One against the floor, Jeremy pulled out the  
serrated hunting knife and slid it firmly under the Loved One's chin. It  
cleared it's oral cavity and the blade tapped the inner surface of the  
creature's brainpan. The half-human/half-reptile creature gurgled and died  
immediately.

The multitude of children screamed as Barney slouched forward, clutching  
his shattered limb, which was spraying pink blood violently upon the floor and  
himself. The creature fell to his knees, reeled back, and let loose an  
unearthly howl that echoed frightenly against the ceiling of the cavern. He  
saw the childrens' fear and realized that his power was endangered. With great  
effort, Barney regained his composure and desperately pleaded with them.

"Children! Please, don't be afraid! It's still me, your old friend  
Barney! Don't cower away, don't you know I love you? " He paused and grimaced  
in agony, then stood up. "Why, I'll take myself to a doctor, and fix me  
up...remember our songs about doctors, kids? They're our friends....like I'm  
your friend...." The children cowered even further when he leaned toward them,  
his hand clumsily clenching the broken, bleeding end of his forearm. "Dammit,  
you worthless little bastards, come back to me! Come back to me!" The  
creature hissed and growled at the children in frustration, then shifted his  
gaze upon Jeremy and Fran, who were watching in horrified astonishment.

"You sniveling little brat-bastard! It's your fault! You came to rob me  
of my precious children, and murdered my spawn! I'll kill you and your  
slut-sister!"

Jeremy gaped in terror as he looked at the squalid purple creature,  
gasping in pain and hate. Barney's eyes had taken on an evil, reptilian look  
and his teeth, once clean and smooth-edged, were now jagged and yellowish. The  
creature rose on its haunches and plodded towards the boy. Jeremy  
instinctively raised the shotgun, leveled it at Barney's face, and pulled the  
trigger.

The round sputtered and smoked. The cartridge was a dud.

The next moment the purple monster lunged upon Jeremy, his thick talons  
sinking into the boy's chest and legs. Jeremy screamed and thrashed wildly,  
trying to keep the dinosaur's teeth away from his soft stomach. The creature  
cursed and began muttering guttural phrases and sounds. The boy frantically  
hit at Barney's eyes and snout, while the reptile thrashed away at his  
clothing, tearing away the cloak and dousing the child in pink, pasty blood.

"I'm going to rip every ounce of flesh from your bones, boy! I'm going to  
break your spine and eat you alive, I'm going to take your lungs and wrap them  
around my-"

The next instant, a clap of thunder broke through the frenzy. The fat  
dinosaur's body shuddered and froze. It rolled off of Jeremy and fell upon its  
back. A thin trickle of blood seeped from its nostrils and its entire body  
slumped. Jeremy staggered back upon his feet and saw his sister standing  
before him, clutching the pistol he had given her earlier outside the White  
House plaza. Thin blue smoke rolled lazily out of the barrel.

"I shot Barney, Jeremy," said Fran. "......I shot Barney".

Jeremy put his arms around her and gave her a firm hug. They stood there  
for a moment in silence. Then they both turned and cautiously made their way  
over to the fat, blubbery body of Barney.

The creature's breathing was faint and raspy. Tears flowed from the  
corners of his eyes. Blood seeped from underneath him, and his body was  
getting cool and wet. He cocked his head towards the children, fixing his gaze  
upon the two, and muttered sadly, "Why won't you love me anymore?" The next  
instant he was dead.

Fran dropped the gun to the floor, and leaned against the cavern wall. "I  
want to go home".

Jeremy examined his wounds and looked back upon the crowd of children, who  
stood in silence. "We'll go home", he said. He motioned the rest of the  
children to follow him and his sister up the rocky stairwell.

As dawn broke over the desolate horizon, Jeremy led the children out of  
the caverns. The children huddled in awe and amazement. Many hadn't seen the  
light of day for years.


	5. Epilogue

It was five years ago that Jeremy and his sister Fran had killed the  
Purple One. Barney, propagator of lies and false love, had met his fate at the  
hands of two children on the verge of adulthood. Now the world was returning  
to normal.

Jeremy sat at the window of the coffee shop, sipping hot chocolate and  
watching the cars drive by. In the distance he saw the familiar silhouette of  
the Capitol building, which was now restored to its pristine white and cleared  
of the horrors that lay within. The White House, though completely destroyed,  
was being steadily rebuilt since the cellar had been cleared of its ghastly  
debris.

The waitress came by with the check, he placed a couple of dollars upon  
the table and left, waving to her and smiling. Though he had not learned her  
name, she and her husband had been among the first of adults they had met when  
the children left the caverns. It had been an awkward encounter; it seemed  
that the adults were as fearful of the children as they had been of them. But  
as time passed on, life resumed its rightful path and many families were  
reunited. While many adults had been killed during the Great Act of Love, many  
more had escaped the onslaught by prowess, chance, or in many cases, mercy.  
Barney's influence had destroyed many adults, but several had seen the evil  
early and prepared for the holocaust.

As Jeremy walked down the sidewalk, he was greeted warmly by many of the  
shopkeepers and businesspeople, it was widely acknowledged that he had played a  
major part in the Purple One's downfall. His sister Fran had her share of  
admirers too, in fact she still received invitations to this function and that,  
along with the occasional wedding proposal from men she had never even met.

While Jeremy and Fran had yet to discover what had happened to their  
parents during the Great Act of Love, they remained hopeful that one day they  
would be reunited. But for now, the two lived together in a comfortable duplex  
on the east side of town. Checking his watch, Jeremy waited at the corner and  
boarded the bus a few minutes later that would take him home. The bus was  
filled with adults, and he took comfort in that.

Were it not for some of the rubble and missing adults, it would almost  
appear that Barney never even existed. Then again, city ordinance made every  
step to make it appear so. Once the government was refounded, it was  
unanimously decided that all Barney and Baby Bop paraphernelia was to be  
promptly and completely destroyed. The color purple would never be quite a  
popular color again, unless it was a distinct shade different from that of  
Barney.

Then there was the question of the Loved Ones. It was hoped that many  
were killed during the destruction of the nursery. It was also hoped that most  
were in the caverns at the time they were sealed off by carefully arranged  
explosions last summer. A bounty was placed for any Loved One captured, dead  
or alive. A few had been taken in, but they were always dead and cold by the  
time they were brought in. Most hunters couldn't stand the sight of the  
creatures, and destroyed them out of a sense of loathing. It was also reported  
that some parents were telling their children that Loved Ones still survived in  
the city sewers, and that if they were bad, the creatures would come at night  
and take them away. Jeremy didn't know what to make of that.

The bus arrived at a cool, shady intersection and stopped. Jeremy stepped  
out and made his way home.

Upon unlocking his door, Jeremy was met by an unusual sight: two birthday  
cakes sitting on the table, their candles lit and shining bright. On the other  
end of the table sat Fran, smiling.

"Happy Birthday, Jeremy".

He laughed. "It's not our birthday, what are you-" He paused. There  
were thirteen candles on the cake.

"I though it was time for a real celebration. Then maybe we can plan to  
send you to China for real", she said, pushing the cake towards him.

Jeremy sat in silence. Words escaped him. He looked back at her, made  
his wish, and blew out the candles. A moment later, she did the same. The two  
siblings looked at each other, and laughed.

"Thirteen," she said.

"Thirteen," he answered.


End file.
